SuperKen
SuperKen is a 2019 American 3D computer-animated superhero film based on the S.P.E.E.D. Comics character Strongarm, produced by VRVA Motion Pictures in association with S.P.E.E.D. Entertainment, and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film is directed by Sean DeLeia (in his directorial debut), produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and features a screenplay by Jonathan Womark with a story by Alexandra di Caruso. Ryan Potter, Dave Franco, Amandla Stenberg, Mark Oliver, Erica Lutrell, and Hugh Jackman provide their voices for the film's main characters. A reboot that portrays the character’s origin story, the movie tells the story of Kenneth Suzuki, a Japanese-American teenager who must find balance between his high school life and his new status as a superhuman after gaining superpowers due to a disastrous accident. Eventually, he must rise to his new role when a new threat may destroy humanity as a whole. With the acquisition of S.P.E.E.D. by VRVA in April 2017, plans for animated films based on the company's characters were revealed during VRVA’s inaugural film slate in July 2017. DeLeia soon joined the production team as head director in September of the same year, with Lord and Miller anchoring the production team. The movie soon sparked a controversial public feud between VRVA Motion Pictures, Lord and Miller, and Sony Pictures Animation, concerning the heavy similarities in SuperKen to another computer-animated superhero film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. SuperKen premiered at the Regency Village Theater in Los Angeles on February 7, 2019, and was theatrically released in the rest of United States on February 14, 2019. The film grossed over $570 million worldwide, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of 2019. It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances of the cast and its improvement over the original source material, but also criticized the story for its overly serious tone and convoluted story. Plot Coming soon! Cast Coming soon! Production Coming soon! Public feud with Sony Pictures Animation Coming soon! Release Like all of VRVA’s films, SuperKen was co-financed and distributed worldwide by Paramount Pictures. The movie bowed in several international territories on January 31, 2019, which was followed by its North American premiere at the Regency Village Theater in Los Angeles on February 7, 2019. It finally premiered in the rest of the United States on February 14, 2019. The film was previously slated for a February 1, 2019 release before being changed briefly to March 8, 2019. Reception Box office performance At the end of its theatrical run, SuperKen grossed $172.9 million in North America and $401.5 million internationally for a total worldwide gross of $574.4 million. North America In the United States and Canada, SuperKen was released alongside Alita: Battle Angel and Fighting with My Family across 4,260 theaters, with a projected President's Day weekend opening of $80-90 million. Deadline Hollywood noted VRVA and Paramount's decision to release the film on Valentine's Day, citing the "bloated" movie market as a primary factor. The film made $26.4 million on Thursday (including an estimated $4.5 million from Wednesday night previews), followed by an additional gross of $16.3 million on Friday. It went on to debut to $86.1 million during its five-day Thursday-Monday opening weekend (including $46.4 million from Friday-Sunday and $59.6 million from Friday-Monday), finishing first at the box office. Despite its initial success, the film experienced a substantial drop in its second weekend, grossing a total of $9.7 million on Friday and a total weekend gross of $21.6 million from 4,112 theaters, marking a decline of 64% and falling to the #2 spot. The film declined by 10% in its third weekend, dropping to #3 with a total gross of $19.4 million, and dropped to #4 during its fourth weekend, with a total gross of $11.2 million. Outside North America SuperKen went into general release in 8 countries on Thursday, January 31, 2019, grossing $15.3 million on its opening day. The following day (Friday, February 1, 2019) saw a gross of $27.8 million from 10 countries for a two-day total of $53.1 million. Throughout the rest of its official opening weekend, the film made $46.3 million from 24 countries, topping the international box office with a four-day weekend total of $99.4 million. In its second weekend, the film grossed $54.6 million from 38 countries, dropping to the No. 2 spot. The film faced even further decline in its third weekend, grossing $45.5 million. Category:Movies Category:VRVA Motion Pictures Category:2019